ARCHITECTURE IN THE HUMANITIES: THE BIOGRAPHIES OF ARCHITECTS: JAMES HOBAN, EILEEN GRAY, AND SCOTT TALLON WALKER ARCHITECTS

James Hoban

James Hoban was an Irish architect, born in Callan, Co. Kilkenney, to Edward Hoban and Martha Bayne. He studied architec-tural drawing under Thomas Ivory. Hoban won numerous awards and competitions while at school. Around 1785, Hoban trav-eled to America and within two years he was designing the State House at Colum-bia, South Carolina. By 1775, Hoban had gained recognition amongst members of Congress who suggested the architect to George Washington, about designing the new Executive Department buildings in Washington, DC. In 1792, Hoban was hired to oversee the construction of the White House, as well as the State and Treasury buildings. Hoban’s designs were reflective of his Irish heritage. The plans for the White House were designed after the Duke of Leinster’s House, near Dublin.

Project: The White HouseDate: 1792-1800Location: Washington D.C, U.S.Style: Palladian and Neoclassical

Figure 1 - The White House Historical Association. n.d. “James Hoban: Architect of the White House: Celebrating the Building of the White House.”

Organization. http://www.whitehousehistory.org/construction-of-the-white-house/james-hoban-architect-of-the-white-house.

Figure 2 - Owen, Frederick Denison. 1901. “The First Government Architect: James Hoban, of Charleston S.C.” Architectural Record 11 (2): 581–89.

Figure 3 - Phillips-Schrock, Patrick. 2013. The White House. North Carolina: McFarland & Compnay, Inc.

Figure 4 - Ibid.

Figure 5 - Ibid.

Figure 6 - Ibid

Eileen Gray

Eileen Gray was born into a distiguished Irish family. Granddaughter of Earl of Mo-ray, she spent her childhood years both in Ireland and London. In 1902 she began studying graphic art and painting at Ecole Colarossi in Montparnasse. She studied the art of lacquer under Seizo Sougawara. In 1918, Gray had her first interior design project , for Madame Mathieu-Levy, an apartment at Rue de Lota.It was not un-til 1926 that she ventured into the field of architecure, with the influence of her hus-band, John Badovici. Although self-taught, she designed many architectural works, such as the famous Villa at Roquebrune E.1027. Her building even drew the inter-ests of famous architect Le Corbusier. The villa is most famously remembered for the murals that Le Corbusier graffitied on the walls. “To create, one must first question everything.” - Eileen Gray

Project: Villa E.1027Date: 1926-1929Location: Roquebrune-Cap-MartinStyle: Modern

Scott Tallon Walker Architects

The firm of Scott Tallon Walker Architects, was founded, in 1928, by Michael Scott, Ronnie Tallon, and Robin Walker. The firm’s design philosophy is to create beautiful buildings which balance between function-ality and aesthetics. STW Architects pro-motes creativity and craft in architecture. Working with a range of projects both in size and function, the firm creats a shared pool of knowledge within the office.

A tulach or burial mound is a place of con-nection between the “other world” and the living. The project was built as a memorial to celebrate the bicentenary of the 1798 Rebellion. Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland awarded the project Gold Medal -Highly Commended in 1989-91.

Project: Tulach a’tSolais MemorialDate: 1996-1998Location: Oulart Hill, Co. WexfordStyle: Pre-Modern

Figure 7 - Adam, Peter. 1987. Eileen Gray: Architect & Designer. New York: Harry N Abrams Inc Publishers.

Figure 8 - Ibid.

Figure 9 - Ibid.

Figure 10 - Baudot, Francois. 1998. Eileen Gray. Translated by Anthony Rudolf. Paris: Editions Assouline.

Figure 11 - Ibid.

Figure 12 - Scott Tallon Walker Architects. n.d. “Scott Tallon Walker Architects & Designers.” Commercial. http://www.stwarchitects.com/archi-tects-and-designers.php.Figure 13 - O’Regan, John. 2006. Scott Tallon Walker Architects: 100 Buildings & Projects, 1960-2005”. Co. Cork, Ireland: Gandon editions.Figure 14 - Ibid.Figure 15 - Ibid.Figure 16 - Ibid.Figure 17 - Ibid.Figure 18 - Ibid.

Figure 2 Executive House 1800 Figure 8 Villa E-1027 Figure 13 Tulach a tSolais

Figure 14 Tulach a tSolaisFigure 9 Garden Access

Figure 6 Architectural Construction Diagram

Figure 3 Cross-Section

Figure 10 Sun Path Diagram Figure 15 Floor Plan Figure 16 Site Plan Figure 11 Main and Lower Level Figure 5 2010 First Floor PlanFigure 4 Hoban First Floor Plan

Figure 17 Interior Photo Figure 18 Interior Photo

Figure 12 STW Architects FirmFigure 7 Eileen Gray (Age 96)Figure 1 James Hoban Profile